Zipper

ABSTRACT

A zipper comprising two opposed rows of discrete interlocking elements wherein each of the interlocking elements carries a design or a fragment thereof and in particular wherein the design is a trademark, a trade name, a brand name, a logo, an emblem and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to slide fasteners and more particularly to a zipper comprising two opposed rows of discrete interlocking elements wherein each of the interlocking elements carries a design or a fragment thereof and in particular wherein the design is a trademark, a trade name, a brand name, a logo, an emblem and the like.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Slide fasteners for joining two sections of an article by means of interlocking elements are used extensively in a wide range of applications including garments, luggage, bags, footwear, tents and many more. A slide fastener, also known as a zipper, typically comprises two sets of interlocking elements anchored to opposed edges of the material to be fastened and a reciprocating slider provided with a puller configured to be pulled along the sets for engaging or disengaging opposite elements. Generally, zippers are either of the type consisting of discrete interlocking elements or of the type consisting of two opposed continuous helical coils. The present invention relates to the first type having two opposed rows of discrete interlocking elements, typically made of plastic resin or light metal.

Although zippers appear in various colors, sizes and strengths, not much attention has been paid to the appearance of the individual interlocking elements. While other elements of a zipper and in particular the pull-tab and the tapes may be provided with various ornaments and designs to enhance the aesthetic look of a zipper, most of the efforts put into the design of the individual interlocking element concentrate on its functionality and not on its appearance, with the exception of ornamental zippers of the type having rhinestones mounted on the outer surface of the elements. With the increasing emphasis in the market on designed and/or brand articles and the general efforts made by manufacturers in order to differentiate their products from competitive products there is an ongoing quest for new ways to establish an inseparable link between a product and a provider. A zipper, being a widespread element that is incorporated into articles in numerous fields, is a good candidate for establishing these goals.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a zipper comprising separate interlocking elements wherein each of the interlocking elements carries a design or a fragment thereof and in particular wherein the design is a logo, a trademark or the like. Thus, a zipper of the invention serves not only for conventional fastening but also provides for identifying the article into which it is incorporated and for distinguishing it from other articles in the market as well as adding aesthetic and advertising value.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides a fastening device comprising a first row of interlocking elements spaced along one longitudinal edge of a material and a second opposed set of interlocking elements spaced along a second opposed longitudinal edge of a material, each of the interlocking elements is having a stem portion anchored to the material and a coupling portion projecting inwardly from the edge of the material toward the opposed edge, the coupling portions are configured to engage adjacent opposed elements, wherein at least one of the interlocking elements carries a design or a fragment thereof. Preferably, each of the interlocking elements carries the design or a fragment thereof. Preferably the design is an advertising element such as an identifying mark which represents a product, a line of products, a company or a manufacturer. The identifying mark may be a trademark, a trade name, a logo or a brand name.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the interlocking elements are shaped to have contours representing at least a portion of the design. Yet in accordance with another embodiment, the design or a fragment thereof is displayed on at least one of the front or rear faces of the elements, wherein the design may be imprinted, engraved or otherwise marked on the face. The design may be formed by a combination of two or more adjacent interlocking elements wherein the two or more adjacent interlocking elements may comprise at least two interlocking elements disposed on the same longitudinal edge or at least one interlocking element disposed on one longitudinal edge and at least one interlocking element disposed on the opposed longitudinal edge. In accordance with the invention, opposed interlocking elements may relate to each other as mirror images with respect to an imaginary plane that runs parallel to and between said the two longitudinal edges or with respect to a point centered therebetween.

The fastening device of the invention may further comprise at least one slider configured to be reciprocally pulled along the two rows of interlocking elements for engaging or disengaging opposite elements. The slider may have a shape related to the design carried by the interlocking elements. The width of the slider may be narrower than the full width of the interlocking elements when engaged. In order to enable the slide to slide along the interlocking elements, the stem portion of each of the interlocking elements may comprise a notch which extends across the element from one lateral side to the second lateral side, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the zipper and the slider is configured to slide along said notch. Alternatively, the stem portion may comprise two sections of different heights, a proximal section continuous with the coupling portion and having the same height thereof and a thinner distal section directed away from the coupling portion. The slider is configured to slide against the step formed between the two sections. The free end of the coupling portion may comprise a groove located substantially in mid height for receiving an opposite edge of material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts one example of a zipper in accordance with the present invention according;

FIG. 2 depicts a second example of a zipper in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 depicts another example of a zipper in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B show two possible configurations of the interlocking elements of FIG. 3 for displaying a graphical identifying mark;

FIG. 4 depicts yet another example of a zipper in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of an interlocking element of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5B is cross section cut through the longitudinal axis of the interlocking element of FIG. 5A at a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the zipper;

FIG. 5C and 5D are a perspective view and a top plane view respectively depicting engaged interlocking elements of FIG. 4 and 5B;

FIG. 6A and 6B are a perspective view and a cross section cut of another embodiment of an interlocking element in accordance with FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 depicts another embodiment of a zipper of the invention according to which the interlocking elements are having different front and rear portions; FIGS. 7A and 7B are an isometric view and a top view of an interlocking element of the zipper of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 8 and 8A depict yet a further example of a zipper of the invention according to which a desired design is formed by a combination of two opposite interlocking elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a zipper comprising two rows of discrete interlocking elements secured to the edges of opposite longitudinal tapes wherein each of the interlocking elements is shaped to carry a design or a fragment thereof such that when the zipper is closed there is formed a decorative pattern of repetitive design blocks. The interlocking elements may be shaped to have the contours of the desired design and/or may serve as a surface on which the desired design is displayed. Preferably, the design is an identifying mark such as a logo, an emblem, a brand name, a trademark and the like, representing a specific product, line of products or a specific provider, such that the zipper serves not only as a fastener device but also as an identifying element that differentiates the article into which it is incorporated from other articles in the market. Thus, the zipper enhances the competitive fitness of the article as well as its aesthetic look. For example, the interlocking elements of a zipper in accordance with the invention may be designed to carry the logo of a company distributing sport articles and be incorporated into various items such as jumpsuits, bagpacks, sleeping bags and the like, serving both as a, conventional fastener and as a company identifying element as well as a decorative element. Alternatively, a zipper carrying a company identifying mark may be incorporated into articles not directly related to the articles provided by that company but distributed as advertising and sale promoters. For example, a soft drink company may distribute handbags provided with a zipper carrying the company's logo. It will be realized that although in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the design displayed by the interlocking elements is of an advertising value, the design may be of decorative value only, for enhancing the appearance of the article.

Preferably, the interlocking elements are plastic elements made by injection-molding of synthetic plastic resin as known in the art. However, the elements may be made from other material and by other methods known in the art such as for example by die-casting of light metal. The interlocking elements may be attached to two opposite tapes and distributed as a separate zipper unit to be later incorporated into articles by conventional methods such as sewing, or may be directly secured to opposite edges of an article opening. When provided as a separate zipper unit, the zipper may be of the open-end type to allow complete separation of the two article's sections or of the closed-end type where the two tapes are permanently connected at one end. Similarly, the zipper may be of the one-way type or the two-way type provided with one or two sliders, respectively, in accordance with known principles in the art and the slider/s may be provided with a single or double puller as also known in the art.

The interlocking elements may be substantially symmetrical with respect to the plane to which they are attached such that the zipper of the invention is having the same design on both sides. This is particularly important when the zipper is of the open-end type where both sides of the elements are visible. Alternatively, the interlocking elements may comprise different rear and front portions. In accordance with the later alternative, the rear portion may have a conventional shape that serves for coupling between the interlocking elements, when the zipper is a one-side zipper, or may carry a design which is different from the design carried by the frontal part, when the zipper is a double-side zipper.

The zipper of the invention may be provided at various sizes, colors and strengths and may be incorporated into unlimited number of articles such as cloths, footwear, bags, tents, luggage and any other article the design of which includes a zipper.

Turning now to the drawings, there are shown a few examples of zippers in accordance with the invention. It will be easily realized that the following drawings are given by way of example only and that the invention is not limited to the examples shown. Rather, a zipper of the invention may assume inexhaustible number of designs. It will be also realized that the use of known trademarks in some of the following examples is made for demonstration sake only and that the respective rights in the trademarks belong to the respective owners.

FIG. 1 depicts a zipper, designated 10, comprising two rows of uniformly spaced apart interlocking elements 20 secured to opposed longitudinal edges 16 of tapes 12 and 14. In accordance with the embodiment shown here, each of the interlocking elements 20 is shaped as a bottle. Each of elements 20 comprises a coupling part 22 projecting from the inner longitudinal edge 16 of its corresponding tape at a right angle thereto and a stem part 24 secured to the tape. In accordance with the configuration shown here, the projecting coupling part 22 is shaped as a bottle bottom while the stem part 24 comprises the body 25 and the neck 26 of the bottle. The bottle may be designed as a bottle of a particular drink such as a brand soft drink, a brand beer and the like and may further display the brandname or the tradename (not shown) of the particular drink. When opposite elements 20 are engaged by moving a slider (not shown) upwardly, there is formed a pattern comprising repetitive bottles. Elements 20 may be secured to tapes 12 and 14 by any method known in the art of zipper fabrication. For example, edges 16 of tapes 12 and 14 may be beaded edges provided with a pair of stringers fixed along the edges, on which elements 20 are directly mold injected.

FIG. 2 shows another example of a zipper, designated 30, comprising two rows of elements 40, each shaped as a cellular phone secured to opposed tapes 32 and 34. The zipper further comprises a slider 50, comprising a slider base 54 and a puller 58, configured to reciprocally engage/disengage opposite elements 40 in the conventional manner. In accordance with this embodiment, slider 50 is configured to have the same shape as elements 40, namely a cellular phone where the slider itself 54 is configured as the phone base while the puller 58 is configured as the phone keyboard. The slider further carries a logo 56 which may be a manufacturer logo, a phone company logo and the like. Puller 58 is pivotally connected to slider 54 free to rotate with respect to the slider such as to allow being pulled in the upward or downward direction as known in the art. Thus, the appearance of the slider may be utilized as well for further enhancing the aesthetic and unique appearance of the zipper and farther facilitating identifying the article to which the zipper is attached with a particular brand or company. Yet in accordance with another embodiment, not shown, the slider may have a conventional slider while the puller may be shaped as the interlocking elements. In accordance with FIG. 2, zipper 30 is an open-end zipper having a bottom stop 31 permanently secured to the bottom end of tape 34 and connected to the lowest interlocking element on tape 34 by means of connector 35. The lower end of tape 32 is provided with a connector stem 33 insertable into stop 31 and connected to the lowest interlocking element on tape 32 as is well known in the art.

Each of interlocking elements 40 comprises a coupling portion 42 and a stem portion 44. The stem portion 44 comprises a pair of parallel spaced apart sections (only the upper section seen) forming a groove for embracing and accommodating the tape to which the element is secured, as known in the art. Coupling parts 42, having a slightly wider end, and being substantially symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of elements 40, lend themselves naturally to such a complementary interlocking arrangement when pressed against each other by the slider. However, as will be explained below in association with the following figures, the coupling parts need not be symmetrical, nor do they need to have exact complementary contours. In order to facilitate interlocking between the elements, each of the elements may be provided with at least one protrusion and at least one complementary recess or socket such that when brought in contact, the protrusion of one element fits into the socket of adjacent opposed element. The protrusions and socket may be provided at the mid layer section of the coupling parts between the frontal and rear layers (as will be described below in association with FIGS. 5) such that they do not interfere with the general appearance of the element. Thus a zipper of the invention is not limited to particular design restrictions and substantially may be designed in almost any design, allowing tailoring the zipper in accordance with a customer's requirements.

FIG. 3 depicts an example of a zipper, designated 70, according to which the visible flat face of each of the interlocking elements 80 is carrying a design or a fragment thereof. In accordance with this embodiment, the interlocking elements 80 are having a substantially conventional shape comprising a substantially rectangular stem 84 and a rounded coupling portion 82 configured to engage with opposed coupling portions when the elements are pressed against each other. As depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the flat surface of element 80 is exploited for carrying a design or a fragment thereof. The design may be imprinted or engraved on the surface. FIG. 3A shows one embodiment according to which each element carries a full design 92 while FIG. 3B shows an embodiment according to which two adjacent elements 80′ and 80″ each carries one complementary half of the design 94 and 96, respectively. It will be easily realized that similarly a full design may be formed by a combination of more than two adjacent elements each carries a design fragment and that such a combination may include opposed elements as well such that the full design is formed when the zipper is closed. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the design is an advertisement element, such as a trademark, a logo, a brand name and the like which uniquely identifies a specific product, line of products or a manufacturer. The design may comprise an image, a text or a combination thereof. The design may be imprinted or engraved on both faces of the elements for a two sided zipper or on one face only.

FIG. 4 depicts a further example of a zipper, designated 100, comprising two rows of interlocking elements 110 uniformly spaced along the edges of opposed tapes 102 and 104, and a slider 105 configured to slide along the longitudinal axis of zipper 100 for engaging/disengaging opposed elements.

FIGS. 5A-5D show elements 110 in detail. In accordance with a novel feature of this embodiment, slider 105 is narrower than the full width spans between the two outer ends of opposed interlocking elements such that the slider, when slides along the zipper, does not accommodate the full length of elements 110 but only a proximal portion 115 thereof. As best seen in FIGS. 5A to 5D, the stem portion 126 of element 110 comprises two sections, a proximal section 112 continuous with coupling portion 124 and having the same height thereof and a much thinner distal portion 114 such as to form a right angled step 115 between sections 112 and 114. The continuity of steps 115 form two guiding lines for vertical walls 118 of slider 105. Thus, when slider 105 is pulled upwardly for closing zipper 100, walls 108 sliding along steps 115 press opposed elements 110 to engage with each other. Alternatively, the proximal and distal sections may be separated by a vertical notch 130 extending inwardly from the outer faces of the element as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. In accordance with this embodiment, proximal section 112 and distal portion 114′ are substantially of the same height. In this embodiment, the vertical walls 108 of the slider 105 are formed to be accepted in notch 130.

As best seen in FIGS. 5A-5C, elements 110 are configured to be symmetrical with respect to the tapes plane such that this embodiment of the invention can be used in a double-side zipper. Also seen in FIGS. 5A-5C is gap 120 between the two parallel halves of stem section 126 for receiving the tape. Gap 120 terminates with a circular widening 122 to accommodate the beaded edge of the tapes as known in the art.

A channel 116 aligned with gap 120 is cut through the coupling portion 124 of element 110 for receiving the edge of the opposed tape when the zipper is closed. To facilitate engagement between opposed elements when the zipper is closed, element 110 further includes a protrusion 118 extending laterally from the mid layer of the element. When opposed elements are pressed against each other, the tip 119 of one element is engaged with protrusion 118 of adjacent opposed element as is best seen in FIGS. 5C and 5D.

FIGS. 7 depict another example of a zipper of the invention according to which the interlocking elements 180 comprise a frontal portion 182 shaped as a bottle and a rear portion 184 of a conventional shape. In accordance with this embodiment, two rows of identical elements 180 are secured to tapes 172 and 174. Each of elements 180 is having a rear portion 182 comprising a coupling section 183 and a stem section 184, and a frontal portion 182 shaped as a bottle. As best seen in FIG. 7A, a gap 187 terminating with circular widening 185 separate between the stem sections of portions 182 and 184 for receiving the tape and the tape edge. The coupling In accordance with this embodiment, interlocking the two opposed rows of elements 180 is achieved mainly by the complementary shapes of coupling sections 183 of rear portions 184 while frontal portions 182 serve to carry the design. It will be realized that the embodiment of FIGS. 7 is particularly suitable for applications when only one side of the zipper is visible. However, it will be also realized that in accordance with the invention, the shape of the rear portions 182 is not limited to either the same shape of frontal sections 182 or to a conventional shape, but rather that it can assume any shape. Thus, the frontal portion 182 and the rear portion 184 may each carry a different design where the two different designs may relate to the same product or company.

Another example of a zipper, designated 140, is depicted in FIG. 8.

In accordance with this example, the desired design 170, shown in detail in FIG. 8A, is formed by the combination of two opposed interlocking elements 150 and 160 secured to opposed tapes 142 and 144, respectively. As can be seen, in accordance with this embodiment, opposed elements 150 and 160 relate to each other with a circulatory symmetry with respect to an imaginary axis running perpendicularly to the zipper axis. Also, in accordance with this embodiments, elements 150 and 160 are configured to include a recess 165 located at the lateral concave side of the element configured to receive the tip end 153 of an opposed element and a protrusion 161 protruding from the opposed convex lateral side of the element to be pressed against protrusion 151 of an opposed element for enhancing the engagement between the elements when the zipper is closed.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims which follow. 

1. A fastening device comprising a first row of interlocking elements spaced along one longitudinal edge of a material and a second opposed set of interlocking elements spaced along a second opposed longitudinal edge of a material, each of said interlocking elements is having a stem portion anchored to the material and a coupling portion projecting inwardly from the edge of the material toward the opposed edge, the coupling portions are configured to engage adjacent opposed elements, wherein at least one of the interlocking elements carries a design or a fragment thereof.
 2. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein said design is an advertising element.
 3. The fastening device of claim 2 wherein said advertising element is an identifying mark representing a product, a line of products, a company or a manufacturer.
 4. The fastening device of claim 3 wherein said identifying mark is a trademark, a trade name, a logo or a brand name.
 5. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein said at least one interlocking element is shaped to have contours representing at least a portion of said design.
 6. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein said at least one interlocking element is having a frontal portion and a rear portion and wherein said design or a fragment thereof is carried by at least one of said two portions.
 7. The fastening device of claim 6 wherein said design or fragment thereof is imprinted on a face of said at least one portion.
 8. The fastening device of claim 6 wherein said design or fragment thereof is engraved on said at least one portion.
 9. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein said design or a fragment thereof is formed by a combination of two or more adjacent interlocking elements.
 10. The fastening device of claim 9 wherein said two or more adjacent interlocking elements comprise at least two interlocking elements disposed on the same longitudinal edge.
 11. The fastening device of claim 9 wherein said two or more adjacent interlocking elements comprise at least one interlocking element disposed at said one longitudinal edge and at least one interlocking element disposed on said second opposed longitudinal edge.
 12. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein the interlocking elements are identical and wherein opposed interlocking elements are positioned such that they relate to each other as mirror images with respect to an imaginary plane running parallel to and between said one and second longitudinal edges.
 13. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein the interlocking elements are identical and wherein opposed interlocking elements are positioned such that they relate to each other symmetrically with respect to a point centered therebetween.
 14. The fastening device of claim 1 further comprising at least one slider configured to be reciprocally pulled along the two rows of interlocking elements for engaging or disengaging opposite elements.
 15. The fastening device of claim 14 wherein said slider is having a shape related to the design carried by the interlocking elements.
 16. The fastening device of claim 14 wherein said slider is narrower than the full width of two opposed interlocking elements in their engaged position.
 17. The fastening device of claim 14 wherein said fastener has a longitudinal axis and the stem portion of the interlocking element comprises a notch extending across the interlocking element from a first lateral side to a second lateral side of the element, parallel to said longitudinal axis and wherein the slider is configured to slide along said notch.
 18. The fastening device of claim 14 wherein the stem portions of the interlocking elements comprise a proximal section continuous with the coupling portion and having the same height thereof and a thinner distal section directed away from the coupling portion such as to form a step between said proximal and distal sections and wherein the slider is configured to slide along said step.
 19. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein the free end of the coupling portion is having a groove located substantially in mid height for receiving an opposite edge of material. 